Combined lifting and coupling tool



March 2, 1937. T. T. VARNVEY, JR 2,072,391

COMBINED LIFT ING AND COUPLING TOOL Filed June 29, 1956 awe/WM Federated2, 93?

UNl'i'ED STATES 1 Claim.

This invention relates to coupling tools and refers particularly to acombined lifting and coupling tool.

An object of the invention is the provision of a tool designed tofacilitate the coupling and uncoupling of vehicles and particularly farmmachinery and implements to tractors. In the usual coupling operationsit is necessary for the operator to leave the power vehicle or tractor,lift the draft bar of the implement into coupling position and theninsert the coupling or hitch pin. The use of the present inventioneliminates these laborious coupling operations and permits the driver oroperator toperform these operations without leaving the tractor.

This and other objects of the invention will become apparent from'thefollowing description when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingclaim and drawing:

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the draft rigging of a tractor andfarm implement in uncoupled relation with the hook of the lifting andcoupling tool in operative position;

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the draft rigging incoupled relation with the coupling pin in operative position, and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lifting and 7 coupling tool.

In the drawing I have illustrated only one of many types of draftrigging that may be lifted and coupled with my tool. In these views, thenumeral Ill designates a flat substantially U- shaped bar projectingrearwardly from a power vehicle or tractor ii and extending from side toside thereof in a horizontal plane. This bar is provided with aplurality of spaced holes or openings l2 for the reception of thecoupling means. .The machine or implement to be coupled to the tractoris provided with a draft bar l3 having a closed loop It to which isadjustably and pivotally connected a coupling element Hi. This elementcomprises spaced arms l6 adapted when coupled, to straddle the cross barI 0. Each arm of the coupling element is provided adjacent its free endlifting and coupling tool without the operator leaving his seat on thetractor.

This tool comprises a shank I8 having a handle '9 at one end adapted tobe grasped by the operator, the shank being of a length to permit easyaccess to the handle by the operator when the tool is in coupled oruncoupled position. The other or lower end of the shank is divided toform a lifting hook 20 and a coupling or hitch pin 2 l. Preferably, thehook 20 is a direct extension of the shank and is turned outwardly awayfrom the coupling pin, as clearly shown in the drawing. The coupling pin2! is connected to an offset portion 22-which is at right angles totheshank and to the pin whereby the latter extends substantiallyparallel to the shank and the hook.

With the tool as thus described and assuming that it is desired tocouple a farm implement to the tractor, it is merely necessary for theoperator to maneuver the tractor to a position directly in front of thedraft bar or rigging it of the farm implement. The operator then graspsthe tool by its handle l9 and leans rearwardly from his seat, asillustrated in Figure i, to engage the hook 20 in the loop it. He thenlifts the draft bar to a position where a slight pull on the farmimplement or a rearward-movement of the tractor will move the cross barl8 between the arms it of the coupling element IE to a point where theholes i! will register with one of the openings I2 in the cross bar. Thehook is then disengaged from the loop It and the coupling pin itinserted through the several openings in the arms l6 and bar it. Thiscompletes the coupling operation and the operator may then perform thenecessary farming operations. When it is desired to uncouple theimplement from the tractor, it is merely necessary for the operator tograsp the handle i9, pull the tool upwardly and then move the tractorforward a slight distance. When not in use as a coupling element thetool may be supported in one of the openings-in the cross bar it. Inthis position it will not interfere with the operation of the tractorbut will permit the handle to be easily and quickly grasped by theoperator when it is desired to couple another farm implement to thetractor.

By forming the tool so that the hook is turned outwardly from thecoupling pin, the latter may be moved to coupling position withoutinterference from the hook. Likewise, during its lifting operation thepin will not obstruct or interfere with the positioning of the hook inthe loop I.

It will be observed that at the point where the coupling pin 2| mergeswith the portion 22 there is provided an enlarged head 23. Thisconstitutes a stop for limiting the downward movement of the pin duringthe coupling operation and functions to maintain the shank and handle inan upright position; otherwise the shank might work over to a positionwhere it would be at a slant or an angle to the vertical and thecoupling pin,

become dislodged, particularly if the ground over which the tractor isoperating is unduly rough or uneven. It will be further observed thatthe straight portion of the hook 20 may constitute a coupling pin guideduring insertion of the pin in the holes l2 and I1 and thus facilitatethe coupling operation. Furthermore, by forming the tool so that thedistance between the hook and the pin is only slightly greater than thedistance between the inner end of the cross bar and the center of theholes in the bar, there will be created a locking action in that thefrictional engagement between the coupling pin, hook and cross bar willtend to prevent upward movement of the tool while the elements arecoupled together. It is to be understood, however, that suchconstruction is merely optional and not entirely necessary as the weightof the tool should ordinarily be sumcient to retain the coupling pin inoperative engagement with the coupling elements of the tractor and'farmequipment.

/ I claim:

In a hitch for use between a tractor and a trailing implement whereinthe tractor is provided with a draw bar having an aperture for thereception of a coupling pin and the trailer is provided with a draftmember having a portion provided with an aperture adapted to mate withsaid tractor draw bar and to accommodate a lift hook, a combination liftand coupling tool comprising a rod divided at one end to form a hook anda coupling pin, the shank of the book being spaced from the pin and thehook portion thereof extending outwardly from said pin, whereby thedraft bar of the implement may be lifted to matmg position with the drawbar, said pin then 25 being inserted through said mating portions tocomplete the coupling.

THOMAS T. VARNEY, JR.

